


Temptation

by Enide_Dear



Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: I'm so so sorry, I'm so sorry, M/M, even the hobbits, i killed them all
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-19
Updated: 2018-04-19
Packaged: 2019-04-25 03:19:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14369772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Enide_Dear/pseuds/Enide_Dear
Summary: The Ring has claimed the mind of the Men in the Fellowship and is trying to get to the Elf and Dwarf. True love might prevail, or it might be the undoing of all.





	Temptation

"Let me go! We need to go back!" Legolas pulled and tore at his arm but Gimli kept a firm grip around his wrist. If the elf had fought with all his strength it would have made for an even more difficult flight through the woods, but contradicting emotions and confusion made his attempt to break free easy to ignore. When it came down to brute strength, an elf had nothing on a dwarf after all. 

"No, laddie. We're not going back. I am not letting it get you to," he muttered as he pulled and dragged the elf through the undergrowth. 

"Coward!" There was a manic glint in Legolas eyes, a horryfying sign that he wasn't all in possession of his mind but even so the word hurt. No dwarf was a coward and Gimli son of Glóin least of all, but there were something on Middle Earth you just couldn't fight.

Your own comrades, for one. Not even if the accursed Ring had gotten to them, turned them against one another on the very banks of Rauros. 

Some part of Legolas knew it to, which was why he hadn't fought back harder when Gimli grabbed his arm and ran for the woods before the allure of the Ring took them to. Not fast enough though it seemed, for Legolas mind kept wanting to turn back, to claim it for his own, even if it meant fighting Aragorn and Boromir for it. Even if it meant killing them. And all Gimli could think of doing was to run far enough away from its malicous influence that it would break its hold on the elf.

Oddly detached, Gimli wondered why the Ring hadn't taken hold over his mind. Lady Galadriel had said that gold would have no hold over him and perhaps it was simply so; sensing a dwarf, the Ring had tried to tempt him with riches to no success. 

He wondered what it tempted Legolas with even now. 

"We need to help the hobbits!"

Gimli stumbed. 

"It's....it's too late for that laddie," he croaked as the memory struck him to his soul; four small bodies cut down by heavy swords. The both of them had stumbled upon them after collecting firewood and in their shock and horror assumed it was an orc attack that had killed their friends. Gimli was not so sure anymore. 

The sound of battle had sent them running for the banks of Rauros, expecting to see the two humans trying to fend of orcs. But the sight that met them was far, far worse; Aragorn and Bormoir fighting to the death over the small gold trinked by their feet. Both of them obsessed, possessed by dark desperation. Both of them turning to face their former comrades with murder in their eyes. And that's when Gimli took Legolas' wrist in a bruising grip and ran as fast as his feet could bear him; not out of fear of the men or even what they had become. Out of fear of what he might become and do if he stayed. 

And not a moment too soon either; Legolas had already had an arrow to the string and his aim unwavering at the-ting-that-was-not Aragorn's chest. 

His weapons were still in his free hand, but held loosely now and that was the only good sign Gimli had seen under this accursed hour. Whatever allure the Ring tempted Legolas with, he was not about to attack Gimli over it. 

"We must go back. We must take It for ourselves." The frantic glow was still in the elf's eyes, but he was pleading now. 

"No." Gimli said shortly, pushing away branches. "It will take us to if we go back." He shook his head. "Not for power or gold or any else will I take up that curesed item."

To his utter suprise, Legolas laughed; a rather frantic laugh. 

"No, not for that. But don't you see, my love? This is our one chance. The only one we are ever likely to recieve."

"Our chance of what? Bringing it to Mount Doom and destroying it? Orc will sniff us out before we get passed the border of Mordor." This was the reasoning of a madman and it concerned him deeply. Since he first started falling in love with Legolas, it had been the deep thoughts hidden under his cheerful soul that had first drawn him to him. Not these shallow thoughts.

"Our chance of love, meleth." Legolas said, and suddenly sounded like himself again; soft and thoughtful and desperately hopeful for a future that could never be. 

Or could it? Gimli slowed down, drawn in by the words.

"If we had the Ring, no one could stop us for living as we choose; my father and your kins disdain and scorn would mean nothing! Nor would the opinions of Men or any freefolk. None would dare oppose us. We would be free to live and love as we choose. And I would choose to be with you. Forever, as the Ring would extend your life to." Legolas dropped his bow on the forrest flor and kneeled down with a hand on Gimli's shoulder. Gimli hadn't even realized they'd stopped but now his heart felt swollen with emotions. Indeterminable elven eyes looked softly into his; grey, blue, green, as shifting as nature around them and far more beautiful. So this was the dream at Legolas' heart. This was what he would kill even his former fellowship for. 

For love. For him, Gimli son of Glóin. 

Gimli felt as if he could almost see it; a wedding and his family and kin cheering him, supporting him, being happy for him. Men and elves and dwarves of all kingdoms come to rejoice in the simple act of love, no matter between whom. It would be a good thing, would it not? No matter how it came to happen?

Gimli's heart felt like it may break from too many conflicting emotions. But how could he say nay to such a thing?

But he couldn't let the elf do it. Couldn't let him ruin himself with murder of friends and the Dark Lords Ring. Not even for love could he do it. 

"Legolas, I..." he started hoarsly, leaning into the embrace. 

Of course, there was another way. A way to get what they wanted, with no taint on the bright soul before him. He had the courage and he might have the skill. For a price such as that, it would be worth the risk. 

With a hard shove, he pushed Legolas back. The elf was caught completely off balance and tumbled backwards and before he was on his feet, Gimli was over him. he tried not to be hars, but legolas fought like a wild thing as he tied him down, hands behind his back and legs tightly secure. He would be able to get free for hours. Plenty of time for what must be done. 

"Gimli, what are you doing? Gimli, no!" Struggling to get free, legolas looked up on him in confusion and betrayal. 

"Don't worry amar, I will come back to you." Hefting his axe, Gimli looked back on the long road back to Rauros. "I will get the Ring for us, and it will be as you said. All will be well and we will be happy. I promise you this."

"No! You can't..." for the first time since that faithful attack, Legolas eyes lost their frantic shine and he looked again like what he was; a simple sindarin elf, prince of some backwaters kingdom that no one really cared abut, but with a soul that burned happy and free and utterly lovely. And now, desperatley frightened. "Gimli no! It has taken you! My words were foolish and selfish - dont' heed them! We must flee!"

He got no further before Gimli pressed a piece of cloth into his mouth and silenced him. 

"Hush, love. There might be orcs around." he saw the pleading fear in his love's eyes but steeled himself. Legolas had been right before. This was their only chance. His heart burned with it. 

He started running back, faster than before, with axe in hand and murder in his heart and tried not to hear the sobs from behind him. Legolas would understand, in time. All would be well. Once the Ring was his, he could make him understand, if he had to. 

They would live happily ever after. 

He would make sure of it.

**Author's Note:**

> I kinda expected Legolas to stab Gimli there at the end, but it seemed my mind took an even darker turn. I'm not sure if Gimli could win over Aragorn in a fight (because let's face it, Boromir doesn't stand a chance here) but I'm sure Gandals will weep when he comes back.


End file.
